1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an armrest located in the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle, and specifically to such an armrest adapted for improved occupant protection during a crash.
2. Background
Automotive vehicles typically have an armrest located on the interior surface of each vehicle door. In addition to providing a surface on which the vehicle occupant seated immediately adjacent the door may rest his/her elbow and/or forearm, the armrest is often integrated with a door latch release lever and/or a grab handle used to open and close the door. Armrests must be relatively rigid and structurally strong to withstand the loads applied during everyday use of the vehicle.
Vehicle crash testing has indicated that a rigid armrest may increase the likelihood and/or severity of injury to an occupant during a collision in which the occupant forcefully strikes the armrest, such as when the vehicle is struck on its side by another vehicle or slides sideways into a stationary object. To reduce this possibility, it is known to construct the armrest so that it will yield or deform under the force of an impact with the occupant""s body. Ideally, the armrest should deform in a manner to absorb some of the impact energy and avoid any rigid elements that project inward from the door inner surface and that could cause a concentration of the impact load on the occupant""s body. It is difficult, however, to design and manufacture an armrest that is structurally strong enough to withstand the type of loads to which it may be subjected during everyday use and that is also capable of deforming so as to reduce injury in a crash.
The present invention provides an occupant protection system for a motor vehicle in which an upper arm support panel of an armrest is maintained in an arm-supporting position during normal vehicle operation, and is moved to a safety position by an actuation device upon sensing of an actual or impending impact on the side of the vehicle.
In the arm supporting position, the arm support panel contributes to the structural strength of the armrest so that it is able to withstand rugged use. In the safety position, the arm support panel is positioned so that it does not present a rigid edge oriented directly toward the occupant, but rather is in a partially or completely folded position. When in the safety position, if a side impact urges an occupant""s body forcefully into contact with the armrest, the armrest is able to collapse to a position generally parallel with the interior surface of the vehicle sidewall so as to minimize injury to the occupant.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuation device comprises a mechanical linkage having a contact pad disposed within the vehicle sidewall at a position where it will be urged inwardly when another vehicle strikes the subject vehicle. As the contact pad is urged inwardly, the mechanical linkage releases the arm support panel and so that it may be urged to the safety position by the mechanical linkage or by a stored energy device such as a spring.
According to another feature of the invention, an electronic actuation system comprises a microprocessor-based controller, a powered panel actuator, and one or more sensors for detecting or predicting a side impact. The panel actuator may be a pyrotechnic device, or may be an electromagnetically powered device such as a solenoid or an electrically actuated latch.